What was meant to be a “bonus query” on the finish of our interview with Kilian Jornet after his win of the 2022 UTMB changed into a full chat concerning the newly introduced NNormal Kjerag path working shoe. The fundamentals on the Kjerag (pronounced “sche-rak“) are:
- 200 grams for a U.S. males’s 9
- 6-millimeter drop (23.5mm/17.5mm midsole top on the heel/toe)
- Vibram Litebase Megagrip outsole
- Matryx higher
Within the following dialog, Kilian talks about how lengthy his two pairs have lasted, the shoe’s match, and the significance of getting the froth proper.
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A Dialog With Kilian Jornet In regards to the NNormal Kjerag Path Shoe Transcript
iRunFar: On the Hardrock 100, you talked about presumably racing the Zegama Marathon, Hardrock, Sierre-Zinal, and UTMB in the identical pair of NNormal footwear. Did you find yourself doing that?
Kilian Jornet: Yeah, that was my coaching shoe; I’ve finished 1,600 kilometers. So then in my racing footwear, I’ve now 500 kilometers with these races and a few Norwegian races. I believe we have to use much less gear, and we have to make gear that lasts longer. For me, it was a take a look at, I need footwear that carry out for lengthy. Yeah, I’m tremendous joyful and I’m virtually extra pleased with that than the outcomes of the races.
iRunFar: You have got a shoe that has succeeded in balancing gentle weight and efficiency and, not less than for you, sturdiness.
Jornet: Yeah. In fact, sturdiness will depend on the burden you’re and the way you run, however we attempt to additionally examine that with totally different individuals and weights. I’m joyful that I can have one pair of footwear for racing. I don’t have one pair of footwear for lengthy and for brief and for the season and the tip of the season, however simply preserve it easy. One pair for coaching or possibly two pairs for coaching throughout all of the 12 months, after which one pair for racing. Yeah, I like easy issues.
iRunFar: And you probably did announce the shoe at UTMB. What’s the mannequin title and simply possibly somewhat bit about it? I don’t need to go too deep, you’ve given a lot of your time.
Jornet: The shoe is the Kjerag, it’s a mountain right here in Norway. The objective was to make a light-weight shoe. It’s performing nicely on working within the mountains after which, should you’re working quick or lengthy, it’s working within the mountains. We needed to have a shoe that has sturdiness and efficiency. We work rather a lot with the supplies, each within the higher and within the sole.
iRunFar: It’s a Matryx higher and Vibram Litebase Megagrip on the outsole?
Jornet: Yeah. After which what makes a variety of the sturdiness can also be the midsole. We’re working with the fabric that it retains the cushioning and it retains the directivity for lengthy. As I discussed, I believe for me after 800 kilometers, I began to really feel that it was a bit under-reactive however I may very well be utilizing it on excellent coaching periods as much as 1,300 kilometers, after which I might use for regular coaching and simple.
However that was the objective, that this materials we studied rather a lot for that. After which a cushty shoe, a bit wider than some racing footwear, and simply snug so you are able to do ultras and you may practice every single day. That it doesn’t really feel like racing, that your toes shall be uncomfortable — however the shoe that you could practice every single day with.
After which the opposite factor that was difficult, it was to make a design that’s easy. So if one thing is worn, it’s straightforward to exchange. Like in case you have a variety of totally different items in a shoe and one thing is damaged or worn, then it’s very difficult to both to recycle, as a result of then you’ll want to disassemble, or to exchange. We work rather a lot with the supplies, we work rather a lot with the form of the supplies, however we preserve it easy so on the finish of life to disassemble for recycling. Or, if you’ll want to substitute one half, it’s straightforward to do it.
iRunFar: If I bear in mind it appropriately, it’s roughly a one-piece higher. Whereas there’s the highest, yeah, yeah.
Jornet: It’s the tongue after which the laces, however not many items. After which the separation between higher and midsole and so it’s very clear it’s one full sole, which is less complicated to exchange. And it provides sturdiness and tries to maintain it so simple as potential to make a efficiency shoe.
iRunFar: Yeah, as a result of that does preserve it gentle. I believe, what’s it? It’s 190 grams for a measurement 41, so a 42 shall be about 200 grams, roughly?
Jornet: 200 grams in 42, yeah.
iRunFar: So you set a variety of miles within the footwear, these two pairs. What has worn probably the most of these two pairs you’ve used? The place are you seeing degradation after that?
Jornet: The higher is simply new, the higher is like … And I’ve been climbing and placing on crampons and issues. It is rather like new. The midsole, it will get worn a bit like on the perimeters however that doesn’t have an effect on the efficiency. However after, as I discussed, after, for me 800 kilometers, it began to lose — for racing, I’d use this shoe for 800 kilometers.
iRunFar: 500 miles, yeah, okay.
Jornet: 500 miles, I knew that the shoe is nearly as good as new. I’ll have the identical reactivity, I’ll have the identical cushioning. And after that, it’s nonetheless excellent for fast trainings and that, as much as, what I discussed, 1,300 kilometers. In order that’s the midsole sturdiness, in my case. After which the only, I’ve not worn this, in fact with the crampons [lugs], they get smaller, however after 1,300 kilometers, for me, it was nonetheless flatter, but it surely nonetheless had some crampons [lugs] …
iRunFar: Nonetheless usable, you’re working on technical terrain in Norway.
Jornet: Yeah. So I’d say most likely the midsole is what disappears first after which the only. Yeah, it goes disappearing however as a result of it’s a full sole, it doesn’t get damaged or destroyed.
iRunFar: Yeah, nothing peels off, no delamination.
Jornet: No delamination and all that; when it’s two small crampons then it’s very straightforward to similar to, put one other sole.
iRunFar: So, I obtained an opportunity to run in it somewhat bit over in Chamonix, France, and one factor that basically impressed me, a variety of manufacturers which might be utilizing tremendous foams discuss how extraordinarily bouncy they’re, which for me isn’t essentially the very best factor, particularly on trails. Whereas your tremendous foam has somewhat little bit of rebound, however not rather a lot. How did you tune that?
Jornet: That was sort of the objective to have very, excellent cushioning, so should you go together with the heel or should you go within the midfoot like that, you’re feeling it’s cushion. However it is rather secure on trails, so it signifies that it’s not simply fluff, tender. And I believe it was finding out rather a lot the totally different tremendous foams, what are they, and making an attempt totally different ones till we discover the very best materials for what we needed to do.
iRunFar: And people shall be obtainable, I believe they’re obtainable for preorder now however transport, hopefully in October?
Jornet: Yeah, it is going to be within the fall, in a few weeks. Within the shops, within the U.S. and Europe. And, in fact, on Nnormal.com.
iRunFar: Superior, nicely I can’t wait to strive them in particular person. Thanks very a lot Kilian and take care.
